I am a collector hoping to get a new Colt Custom Shop Army some day. I own a Vaquero, which I enjoy and appreciate as a fine piece, which has lead me to my looking at the Colts. I got the chance to hold (and fondle!) a new Colt Army.
Man, what a nice, smooth, tight machine! The shop that had it was asking $1,600. Is this about par for the course? How many of you own one? What about how it retains it's value?

If you live in SE Texas and plan to shoot yours, I'd love the chance to check it out....

You are using incorrect terminology if you are talking about the famous Colat Single-Action Army revolver, also known as Model 1873, Model P, Peacemaker, Hogleg, or Cowboy revolver (not to be confused with the currently manufactured Colt Cowboy).

Colt collectors can especially get snippy if you call the SAA just the Colt Army revolver because Colt offered Double Action revolvers called the Colt Army Model and Colt Army & Navy models ion .38 Colt and .41 Long Colt chamberings.

Use the proper terminolgy and folks will be more helpful.

BTW, unless you are willing to spend over a $1,000 for a used SAA, you ought to check out the Italian clones. The SAA is not a robust as the Vaquero, but it is a little smoother to handle.

Thanks Doc, I was drawing the conclusion as to which gun he was talking about. But still the Colt Open Top model had a Navy and Army series. The new model, Army, Navy and Police series of 1860-1862. Richard Mason Conversion 1860 Army Revolver,1873 Single Action Army, 1892-1903 New Army and Navy revolvers, and of course the ARMY SPECIAL Model starting in 1908. So you have to be a little more clear when you say Army model. I am on the prowl for a nice 1892 Navy or Army Model, myself. Totally different from Colt SAA 1873 model.

I have seen nice used Colt 1873 SAA for around $1350. Go to this web page and gives you a good idea of the prices.http://www.coltsaa.com
I have bought several guns from Ray Meibaum. At $1600 , you are paying top price. So you have time to look around. Plenty of them out there. I bought two nice used Uberti Colt clones. 1873 Colt SAA clones imported by Taylor Arms. 5 1/2" nickel plated with blue screws, walnut grips. I think very pretty. Used $325 for one, then three months later and 200 serial numbers apart its twin for $299.

My wife's cowboy action shooting guns are two third generation (circa 1979) Colt SAA, 7 1/2", b/ch in .357. Action tuned by Oglesby & Oglesby. At the time they cost about $700 each. I swore I would never pay that high for a gun again. Famous last words. Collecting first generation Colt SAA will make you swallow real hard sometimes. Once the wife pulled a first generation Colt SAA from the gun vault to shoot. Which I do not do. Now, her play guns are clearly marked.

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